1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to key holders or retainers and more particularly to a credit card sized holder for emergency keys and other miscellaneous articles including toothpicks, magnifying glass, emergency phone number, emergency quarter and measuring instruments. Still further, this invention relates to a credit card sized emergency key holder which allows the keys to be removed, re-inserted and stored in the holder.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Kayhill, U.S. Pat. No. 1,766,599 discloses a combined paper currency, ring and key holder. The holder is comprised of a plate of resilient sheet metal with a series of fixably attached parallel vertically disposed clips, three opening downwardly and two opening upwardly. A safety pin is permanently secured to the bottom of the horizontal edge of the sheet metal plate to allow one to secure the holder to clothing, pockets, bags and the like.
Loesch, U.S. Pat. No. 2,228,726 discloses a key case comprising a receptacle comprising two hingedly attached triangular sections which can be closed together and secured. Within each hinged section is located three key hangers hingedly mounted near each corner of each section, said hangers having a trough for the reception of the key head and spring members adapted to urge the key into the trough.
Campbell, U.S. Pat. No. 2,322,920 discloses a key holder with a substantially flat container provided with a plurality of key receiving compartments. The compartments are arranged so that the peripheral edges of the material forming the compartments terminates substantially in a common plane. The peripheral edges of the material forming the compartments is elastic and sufficiently rigid to resist edgewise pressure such that the edges of the compartments not selected for the particular key to be removed or inserted cooperate to maintain the openings to the other compartments in use.
Dimond, U.S. Pat. No. 2,625,190 discloses a key case of substantial thickness which includes a container for holding said keys. A supporting member is found within the container which extends along and is secured to one end of the container. Said supporting member having a plurality of fingers which extend in a parallel spaced relation with means integrally connected with the free ends of the fingers to allow for holding keys in an orderly aligned position within the container.
Sherwood, U.S. Pat. No. 2,625,191 discloses a pocket key case comprising a pair of walls of flexible material, leather or the like, with a tab on the end of one of the walls and a tab on one end of the other wall such that when the tabs are turned inward a key chain is passed between the eyelets of the tabs, said chain passing through the aperture found in the head of keys and retaining said keys within the disclosed pocket key case.
Goessling, U.S. Design Pat. No. 174,543 which discloses a combination coin purse and key holder.
Ferber and Gannon, U.S. Pat. No. 2,859,788 discloses key holders comprising unitarys length of flat, resilient metal bent into a U-shape with the flat ends opposing each other, a single post disposed transversely across the top portion of the U, said post being integrally attached to the upper end portion of one arm and extending outwardly toward the other arm with the extreme outer face normally abutting, with spring pressure, against the inside upper portion of the other arm of the U. Further, a flexible case within which the holder element is retained is also disclosed.
Buckett, U.S. Pat. No. 2,859,789 discloses a key holder comprising a thin flat resilient plate with an elongated aperture therethrough in the general shape of a key with first and second straps formed integrally with the plate and extending transversely across the aperture on both sides of said plate somewhat offset from each other for confining a key between the straps within the aperture.
Bermingham and Stiller, U.S. Pat. No. 3,101,762 discloses a key case generally comprising a rigid enclosure with one or more apertures to allow for a key to slide through. The key is slidably mounted within the key case such that the key slides out of the case exposing the entire shaft and a portion of the key head. The user can grasp either the key or the entire case when using the desired key.
Lind, U.S. Pat. No. 3,212,546 discloses a key holder which is comprised of compartments for the keys to be placed within, said keys being held within the apertures magnetically. The keys must be capable of being attracted and retained by a magnet.
Borisof, U.S. Pat. No. 3,318,354 discloses a three section key case, similar to a wallet. The keys are hingedly mounted to the top of the case. The hinge allows the keys to be pulled upwardly and outwardly from the case while remaining attached.
Watson, U.S. Pat. No. 3,606,777 discloses a key holder formed in a single plastic piece with a flat rectangular central portion which in turn is connected to a pair of flat outer flexible key enclosing members in order to form four key receiving compartments. The outer key covering members are cut away to provide access to the key compartment. The keys pivot at protrusions which are formed at each side of the central portion.
Shee, U.S. Pat. No. 3,933,017 discloses a key holder and rack therefore. The key holder consists of a flat sheet and bifurcated fastener that holds one or more keys to the sheet by its spinnable legs.
Marks, U.S. Pat. No. 4,037,716 discloses a pocket sized card holder for keys and/or coins. The holder contains a recessed region for receiving and containing items with a pressure receivable, at least partially adhesively coated lid which covers the depressed region and which can be stripped or peeled back to expose the contained items.
Mowry, U.S. Design Pat. No. 245,371 discloses a key holder card generally designed for car keys. The card contains apertures for the heads of each of the two car keys to be stored. Other apertures are located within the holder which retain the shafts of the keys being retained.
Holmes, U.S. Design Pat. No. 259,073 discloses a spare key holder generally comprising a single aperture within a card where keys are to be placed. Three parallel bands attached transversely across the aperture are located on the card, two on one side, one on the opposite side. The bands are intended to contain the keys within the aperture.
Watson, U.S. Pat. No. 4,286,641 discloses a combination business card and key storage device. This invention comprises an enclosure for storing one or more keys in singular compartments; the enclosure being sized and shaped as a conventional credit card with apertures on one side to allow for insertion of the keys. The inside storage department itself is sub-divided into two separate compartments corresponding to the two apertures through which the keys are inserted.
Toyoda, U.S. Pat. No. 4,454,737 discloses a key holder which includes a body and key shaft which is pivotably mounted on the body such that it can be swiveled or pivoted between the operating position and a non-operating position in which the key is housed within the body.
Kilpatrick, U.S. Design Pat. No. 278,574 discloses a spare key holder which is comprised of four individual key holding recesses in the rectangular shaped key holder. Across each key recess are two key retaining straps.
Almblad, U.S. Pat. No. 4,637,236 discloses a key and retainer card combination. The key and card combination contains at least one recess or a pair of recesses for a set of keys. The structure is intended to separably retain a plastic key in its recess.
Almblad, U.S. Pat. No. 4,677,835 discloses another key and retainer card combination manufactured of plastic. This invention discloses a key and card combination formed of molded plastic material comprising a key shaped recess socket in the plane of a card; the key being severably located in the recessed pocket and formed in one piece with the card with an integral multi-directional hinge. The above referenced prior art fails to disclose a credit card sized emergency key holder comprising the versatility and convenience of the present invention.